Barrel handling device with gripping jaws



Aug. 28, 1956 E. R. KUGHLER BARREL HANDLING DEVICE WITH GRIPPING JAWS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Original Filed Oct. 7, 1949 Aug. 28, 1956 KUGHLER 2,760,662

BARREL HANDLING DEVICE WITH GRIPPING JAWS Original Filed Oct. 7, 1949 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 2/ 2 /7 4 9 /.9 .4: 20 2 I II INVENTOR [ow/w l2 KUGfi/LER 4 ATORNEYS BARREL HANDLING REVICE WITH GRlPPlNG I WS Edwin Russell Kughler, Rye, N. Y.

Continuation of application Serial No. 120,185, October 1,9112%. This application June 3, 1952, Serial No.

9 Claims. (Cl. 214-653) This invention relates to a mechanical device aifording an economical and safe means for handling drums and other flanged containers such as barrels and cans and which is adapted to be attached to the prongs or forks of conventional lifting fork machines, such as finger lifts, fork trucks, high lifts, stackers etc. provided with forks or fingers which are capable of being vertically tilted, raised and lowered.

More particularly, it is an aim of the present invention to provide a gripping device which will operate automatically by vertical manipulation of forks or fingers of lifting machines for automatically gripping a drum or flanged container for securely holding the container or drum while it is lifted and moved about and for automatically releasing the drum or container after it is placed on a supporting surface, all of which operations can be accomplished by the operator of the lifting machine without touching the drum or container or leaving his position on the machine, thereby aifording a safe, efficient and economical means for handling heavy drums or containers without employing complicated gear involving hooks, ropes, slings and the like.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide an automatic gripping apparatus which may be employed with a sling or wire rig equipment used as a hoist or lifting rig and which is capable of being raised, lowered and tilted.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a presently preferred embodiment thereof, and wherein:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view showing a dual type mechanical gripping device, constructed in accordance with the invention attached to the lifting fork of a conventional lifting machine, a part only of which is shown;

Figure 2 is a top plan view showing the mechanical gripping device on an enlarged scale and engaging two drums to be lifted thereby and illustrating the device clamped to a pair of lifting forks or prongs;

Figure 3 is a bottom plan view of the device;

Figure 4 is a front end elevational view showing the gripping device in an applied position;

Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 5-5 of Figure 6; and

Figures 6 and 7 are enlarged longitudinal sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 66 and 77, respectively, of Figure 2.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the mechanical gripping device in its entirety and which comprises the invention is designated generally 8 and includes a rigid top wall 9 having adjacent each longitudinal side edge thereof two laterally spaced depending walls which extend longitudinally of the top wall 9 and including an outer wall 10 and an inner wall 11, which walls may be formed integral with or suitably secured to the top wall 9. Two rods extend transversely through each of the walls 10 and 11 and are secured thereto by nuts 12 tes atet which engage the threaded terminals of said rods and which abut against the outer sides of the outer walls 10. One of said rods, designated 13, is located adjacent the forward ends of the walls 10 and 11 and the other rod 14 is disposed adjacent the rear ends of said walls, said rods 13 and 14 being spaced equal distances beneath the top wall 9. Said top wall 9 together with the walls 10 and 11 constitute the frame of the gripping device 8.

Figure 1 illustrates the gripping device 8 mounted on a lifting machine, a portion only of which is illustrated and which is designated generally 15. Said lifting machine 15 may be of any conventional construction including uprights 16 to which a pair of lifting forks 17 are pivotally connected at their upper, inner ends as seen at 18. The forks or prongs 17 are each provided with a lower forwardly projecting free end 19. The gripping device 8 is adapted to be detachably mounted on and form an attachment for the lifting machine 15 and is applied thereto by inserting the ends 19 of the forks or prongs 17 through the frame beneath its top wall 9 and above the rods 13 and 14. The top wall 9 is provided with large threaded openings 20 for receiving clamping screws 21 which extend downwardly therethrough and which are disposed above and adjacent the rods 13 and 14. The clamping screws 21 are adapted to be advanced downwardly for clamping the prong portions 19 between said screws and the rods 13 and 14 to thereby detachably secure the gripping device on the forks 17.

An elongated arm 22 extends longitudinally through the downwardly opening channels formed by each pair of walls 10 and 11 and is secured therein by having the rods 13 and 14 extending therethrough and additionally by nut and bolt fastenings 23 which extend downwardly through the top wall 9 and through restricted portions of the arms 22. Each arm 22 extends forwardly to beyond the forward end of the walls 10 and 11, which in turn extend forwardly to beyond the forward edge of the top wall 9, and the forward ends of said arms 22 are each curved downwardly and terminate in an inwardly and upwardly opening hook or talon 24. The arms 22 are further anchored to their associated walls 10 and 11 by fastenings 25 which extend through said arms and through the forward ends of the associated walls 10 and 11. Additionally, the arms 22 are braced adjacent the hooks or talons 24 by a brace or bumper rod 26 which extends between said arms 22 and which has restricted threaded extensions 27 which extend through the arms 22 and are secured thereto by nuts 28 which engage the terminals of said extensions 27 and abut against the outer sides of the arms 22.

The walls 10 and 11 are provided with integral depending extensions at their rear ends which are braced by a rod 29 which extends transversely therebetween and has restricted extensions 31) extending through said walls and which are threaded to receive nuts 31 which abut against the outer sides of the outer walls 19. The walls 113 and 11 are provided with complimentary vertically extending elongated openings 32 and rearwardly of said openings 32, the walls 111 and 11 are provided with complimentary elongated openings 33 each including a lower, vertically disposed portion which is disposed below and rearwardly of the adjacent opening 32 and an upper upwardly and rearwardly inclined upper portion which extends upwardly and away from the adjacent opening 32.

A hook, designated generally 34 has an upper shank portion 35 disposed for swinging an sliding movement between each pair of walls 10 and 11. Each shank portion is provided with an upper pin 36 which extends therethrough and projects from each side thereof through the openings 32 of the walls 11) and 11, between which said shank portion 35 is disposed. The shank portion 35 is also provided with a lower pin 37 which engages the complimentary openings 33, said pins 36 and 37 being spaced so that the pins may simultaneously engage the lower ends of the pairs of openings 32 and 33, as illustrated in Figure 6, or the pin '36 may engage the upper ends of the openings 32 with the pin 37 disposed at the apexes of the angularly disposed end portions of the openings 33, as illustrated in Figure 7.

As seen in Figure 7, each arm 22 is provided with a pair of spaced ears 38 and 39 which are apertured to be engaged by complimentary ends of two contractile coil springs 40 and 41, respectively, the-opposite ends of which springs are anchored to apertured eye: 42 which projects from the forward edge of the hook shank 35 so that said springs 40 and 41 normally tend to hold the hook 34 in a raised, retracted position, as seen in Figure 7.

The forward edge of the hook 34, beneath the eye 42, is provided with a forwardly opening notch 43 having a bottom edge 44, the inner portion of which is disposed substantially at a right angle to the longitudinal axis of the book 34 and a top edge 45 which is rounded and curved upwardly from the inner toward the outer end of the notch 43. The forward edge of the hook 34, below the notch 43 is beveled and curved from said notch in a direction toward the back edge of the hook to form a cam surface 46.

As previously stated, the forks or prongs 17 may be raised or lowered or swung in a vertical plane on their pivots 18 for positioning the portions 19 thereof in out wardly and downwardly or outwardly and upwardly tilted positions. With the fork portions 19 and the gripping device 8 supported thereby disposed either in a horizontal plane as illustrated in the drawings or tilted outwardly and downwardly or outwardly and upwardly, the arms 22 may be disposed each over a drum or flanged container 47 and positioned so that when the forks 17 are lowered by manipulation of the lifting machine 15 the hooks 24 are moved downwardly for clearing corresponding flanged ends of the drums 47. As this occurs, portions of the opposite flanged ends of the drums 47 will engage the lower cam surfaces 46 of the hooks 34 for causing the hooks to pivot on the pins 36 which are then journaled in the upper ends of the openings 32 so that the ends of the pins 37 can move upwardly in the inclined upper portions of the openings 33 to allow said hooks 34 to swing rearwardly on the pins 36 as their axes, as the gripping device 8 is displaced downwardly. As the flanges of the drums 47 clear the upper ends of the cam surfaces 46, the springs 40 will cause the hooks 34 to swing clockwise as seen in Figure 7, so that the notches 43 will be displaced into engagement with said last mentioned flanges of the drums 47 and will displace said drums toward the stationary hooks 24 to cause their other flanges to be engaged by said hooks 24, as seen in Figure 6. The hooks 34 will then be positioned with the pins 36 engaging the upper ends of the openings 32 and with the pins 37 engaging the inter-- mediate portions of the openings 33. The forks 17 are then raised causing the hooks 34 which are held against counter-clockwise swinging movement by the springs 40 and 41 to be displaced downwardly relatively to the walls and 11 by the pins 36 and 37 sliding to the lower ends of the openings 32 and 33, as seen in Figure 6, to thereby lock the hooks 34 against swinging movement away from the hooks 24 so that the slidably and swingably mounted hooks 34 will be retained locked in their operative positions of Figure 6 by the pins 37 engaging the lower ends of the openings 33 and held against upward displacement by the weight of the drums 47. It will therefore be readily apparent that the drums 47 may be lifted and conveyed by the lifting machine without danger of being released by the gripping device 8 until said drums are placed upon a supporting surface. To then disengage the gripping device 8 from the drums 47, the forks 17 are displaced downwardly to cause the gripping device 8 to move downwardly relatively to the drums 47 and at the same time the forks are rocked on their pivots 18 for elevating the outer, forward ends of the fork portions 19 relatively to their inner ends so that the hooks 34 will be displaced downwardly relatively to the hooks 24. As this occurs, the upper edges of the notches 45 will ride over the flange portions engaged by the hooks 34 to cause the hooks 34, which have been elevated by the springs 40 and 41, to swing counterclockwise on the pins 36 as their axes and with the pins 37 moving into the inclined upper portions of the openings 33. The forks 17 may then be rocked in the opposite direction for elevating the .hooks 34 and lowering the hooks 24 to disengage the hooks 34 from the drums 47, after whch the gripping device 8 may be displaced from right to left and elevated to disengage the books 24 from the drums 47, all of which operations may be readily accomplished without the operator of the machine 15 leaving the operators seat.

Obviously, the gripping device 8 may be utilized for lifting, conveying and releasing a single drum 47 and may be constructed as a single unit, rather than a double unit as illustrated and including only on hook 24 and one hook 34 or may equally well be constructed with three, four or more sets of hooks 24 and 34 and their associated parts as previously described for simultaneously lifting any desired number of drums or flanged containers 47.

Likewise, the gripping device 8 may be detachably supported on any type of hoist or lifting rig having portions which may be engaged and clamped by the rods 13 and 14 and clamping screws 21 and which are capable of being raised and lowered and tilted, as heretofore described.

Various other modifications and changes are likewise contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter defined by the appended claims.

This application is a continuation of my copending application Ser. No. 120,185 filed October 7, 1949 and now abandoned.

I claim:

1. A mechanical gripping attachment for lifting and conveying apparatuses comprising a frame adapted to be detachably clamped to a lifting fork to be raised, lowered or tilted longitudinally thereby in a vertical plane, an arm rigidly secured to said frame and projecting beyond and downwardly from one end .thereof and terminating in an inwardly and upwardly facing, stationary hook, a second hook mounted in said frame adjacent its opposite end and facing toward the first mentioned hook, means for mounting said second hook for vertical sliding movement relatively to the frame and for swinging'movement toward and away from the first mentioned hook when in a raised position relatively to the frame, spring means anchored to said frame and connected to said second hook for urging it to slide upwardly relatively to the frame and to swing toward the stationary hook, and said second book having a lower cam portion adapted to initially engage a portion of a flanged end of a drum or container as the gripping device is lowered relatively to the container for rocking said second hook away from the stationary hook and for causing said flanged portion to clear said cam surface, said second hook having a notch opening toward the stationary hook and above said cam surface to receive said portion of the flange when it has cleared the cam surface and when the second'hook is swung toward the stationary hook by said spring means for engaging said hook notch on said flanged portion of the drum and for displacing the drum toward the stationary hook for engaging the stationary hook with a portion of the other flanged end of the drum, said second hook being displaced downwardly by the weight of the drum when the gripping device is initially elevated relatively to the drum, and means for locking the second hook against swinging movement in the frame when the second hook is displaced downwardly relatively to the frame and against the action of said spring means.

2. A gripping device as in claim 1, said stationary hook having a cam surface on its inner side and beneath its hook portion for riding over said last mentioned flange portion as the gripping device is initially displaced downwardly relatively to the drum or container.

3. A gripping device as in claim 1, said second hook having a cam surface above the notch for engaging said first mentioned flange portion for rocking said second hook away from said first mentioned flange portion when the container is resting on a supporting surface and the gripping device is displaced downwardly relatively thereto and after said second hook has been displaced upwardly by the spring means, for initially disengaging the second hook from the first mentioned flange portion.

4. A gripping device for engaging and disengaging flanged containers comprising a frame adapted to be supported for vertical and horizontal movement and for vertical tilting movement in a direction longitudinally thereof, said frame having a rigid extension at one end thereof, said extension being provided with an inwardly and upwardly opening hook adapted to detachably engage under a flanged end of a container, a second hook mounted in said frame for vertical sliding movement and for swinging movement toward and away from the first hook when in an elevated position, said second hook having a notch opening toward the first hook and an inclined cam surface disposed therebeneath adapted to engage the opposite flanged end of the container for swinging the second hook away from the first hook as the gripping device is lowered relatively to the container for positioning said notch to receive said last mentioned flange, and spring means for urging said second hook to swing toward the first hook for displacing said notch into engagement with said last mentioned flange and the first mentioned hook into engagement with the first mentioned flange, said second hook being adapted to be displaced downwardly relatively to the frame when the gripping device is elevated with the hooks engaging the flanged ends of the container by the weight of the container, and means for locking said second hook against swinging movement relatively to the frame when the hook is displaced downwardly with respect to the frame.

5. A gripping device as in claim 4, said second hook having a trunnion disposed transversely of its upper end, said frame having vertically elongated openings for slidably and rotatably receiving said trunnion, a pin extending transversely through the second hook below and to one side of said trunnion, said frame being provided with elongated openings for slidably receiving said pin, said last mentioned opening including vertically disposed lower portions and inclined upper portions, said pin being movable through the upper portions of said last mentioned openings when the second hook is swung away from the first hook, and the lower portions of said last mentioned openings combining with said first mentioned openings for engaging said pin and forming the means for locking said pin against swinging movement relatively to the frame when the second hook is displaced downwardly relatively to the frame.

6. A gripping device as in claim 4, said second hook having a cam portion above said notch for engaging the last mentioned flange portion and for rocking said second hook away from the container to disengage the notch thereof from said last mentioned flange portion when the container is resting on a supporting surface and said gripping device is displaced downwardly relatively thereto.

7. A barrel carrier comprising a frame member, hooks supported on said frame member in positions to engage the opposite ends of a barrel positioned with its axis horizontal beneath the rims thereof, one of said hooks being mounted for movement toward and away from the other hook, one of said hooks being mounted for vertical movement and co-operating means on the frame and on the hook for holding said hooks against movement away from each other when supporting the weight of the barrel, said means comprising a pin and slot connection between the frame and one hook, said slot being so shaped as to hold said hook against swinging movement except in its elevated position.

8. The barrel carrier of claim 7 wherein the slots are in the frame member and the pins are on the hook.

9. The barrel carrier of claim 7 wherein springs are provided for holding the vertically movable hook in its uppermost position and spring biased toward said other hook.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 869,152 Alline Oct. 22, 1907 1,518,560 Carroll Dec. 9, 1924 2,390,293 Colson Dec. 4, 1945 2,399,360 Lacey Apr. 30, 1946 2,512,409 Adde June 20, 1950 2,517,085 Cirillo Aug. 1, 1950 2,519,067 Rich Aug. 15, 1950 2,558,388 Richardson June 26, 1951 2,576,048 Schum Nov. 20, 1951 2,586,843 McDonald Feb. 26, 1952 2,609,954 Sutherland et al. Sept. 9, 1952 2,613,823 Johns Oct. 14, 1952 2,653,725 Dodge Sept. 29, 1953 2,655,278 Daniels Oct. 13, 1953 

